Joen Luirink receives NWO-TTW grant

Joen Luirink (Molecular Microbiology) has received an NWO-TTW grant (€570,000) as part of a multidisciplinary research programme on the development of bacterial vaccines.

06/01/2017
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3:31 PM

Together with academic colleagues and partners from industry, including the AIMMS Molecular Microbiology spin off company Abera Bioscience, Dr Joen Luirink will be involved in the Bac Vactory programme.

The programme conducts research for the development of bacterial vaccines, with a focus on similar diseases that occur in both humans and animals. By examining bacteria that are closely related and that cause infectious diseases in humans and animals, new, safe and efficient vaccines are to be developed. Combining knowledge of human and veterinary medicine will allow for an integrated approach.

Antibiotics resistance

Resistant bacteria make it difficult to fight infectious diseases in humans and animals. In fact, each year 25,000 people die as the result of antibiotics resistance in Europe alone, and worldwide many more. Antibiotic resistance is also a major problem in the livestock farming sector. With the use of new bacterial vaccines, the use of traditional antibiotics can be reduced. Thereby, the development of antibiotics resistance will be slowed down.